Another good Saturday morning.

The Friday night setting up went pretty much as usual, that's not to say its not worth mentioning, far from it, we had the usual helpers plus the usual enthusiastic ideas along with the additional materials donated for our use. Don had been along to a local school and is now going to visit on a regular basis and informed us that woodturning is now recognised in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme. This setting up on a Friday night is very useful as it gives us all quality chatting time which keeps us all up to speed, that sounds very Motivational Speaking doesn't it, perhaps I'm in the wrong job?

Its Saturday 8.00am just half an hour before I go to the club house and unlock the doors, I've used this time to start writing this article, I get quite excited about these meetings as we always have little quirky bits to make it more interesting, we helpers, and I'm sure I speak for all of them, get a real kick from the response, Its brilliant to see these new turners enjoy their Saturday morning club, but we mustn't forget what they bring with their own imaginative ideas.

Well its almost time to go, just the last few items to put in the van, Bills vacuum, a desk fan, Heathers Acrylic paints, book with pictures of insects, white tipex, and most importantly some scones Heather made last night, that's me done I'm off now.

So I'm at the club house and as usual I'm not really ready and I've forgotten some paperwork and the camera cable, Heather to the rescue and she's here 10 minutes later. I say hello and make sure everybody has paperwork and remind them they are in a workshop and to be careful.

I had some small lumps of concrete on a board left from a job and brought three pieces in, I asked them what they thought it was and of course "rubble" came the reply, I pointed out that it was more than that and somebody was going to create something interesting with it today, Emily was happy to try it so of we went while the others got busy elsewhere. Kim, one of our helpers set to with some acrylic paint and experimented with the concrete while Emily and I turned a lighthouse, very soon we had a rock with a lighthouse on it looking very good, Jordan also had a go. The idea of this exercise was to get them to see things as something else and use their imagination, it worked well, and they will be encouraged to bring things in as they find them each meeting.

As usual I didn't get chance to move around and see what the others got up to, but I did notice that Derek was busy with pyrography as always, very popular this, and Angy helped some make cards using pyrography to. We where not to well organised on the lathes this time and Don wasn't to well and didn't turn and so with Bill absent as well it was lacking some what, but the beauty of our in house experienced enthusiastic helpers it didn't matter to much, every body was kept busy. I did explain to Tyson and James the tutor problem and they where happy to either watch and help with the others or spend time on the computer.

We had a break half way through and the scones went down very well with one over riding complaint "there isn't enough" looks like another job to do indoors to bribe Heather into make more for next time, typically Angy had cut and buttered them ready for eating.

Dave tutored Bill and Barbara from Angy's class, they each had a go at turning, and got on very well with Dave, Grant will be with us next time; all three students know each other which helps. Bill and Barbara are doing the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme and woodturning is part of it now so we will fill their forms in each time.

The second half of the morning went just as quick and it seemed in no time at all we where saying goodbye to every body, as always they all enjoyed the morning. As for me, as per I'm the last to pack up and load my van, mainly because I'm turning to the last minute and then chat as they say goodbye as you do. Sadly not to many pictures on my camera this time, I don't come across as being very well organised do I, never mind, next time, what I need to do is get Tyson to down load the mornings pictures off the computer onto a CD, that way I have them at home, perhaps Ill invest in one of those USB plug in memory things and do it that way, I'll have to ask the juniors to educate me on that one.

Over all too quick and what a brilliant morning it was, the hall all cleared and the van loaded, doors locked and there goes another brilliant Saturday club meeting.

Mick - November 2007